counterfeit

American  

[koun-ter-fit] / ˈkaʊn tərˌfɪt /

adjective

1. made in imitation so as to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine; not genuine; forged.

   counterfeit dollar bills.

   Synonyms:

   bogus, spurious

2. pretended; unreal.

   counterfeit grief.

   Synonyms:

   ersatz, fake, mock, make-believe, pretend, feigned, sham

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noun

1. an imitation intended to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine; forgery.

   Synonyms:

   sham, falsification

2. Archaic. a copy.

3. Archaic. a close likeness; portrait.

4. Obsolete. impostor; pretender.

verb (used with object)

1. to make a counterfeit of; imitate fraudulently; forge.

   Synonyms:

   falsify, copy

2. to resemble.

3. to simulate.

verb (used without object)

1. to make counterfeits, as of money.

2. to feign; dissemble.

counterfeit British  

/ ˈkaʊntəfɪt /

adjective

1. made in imitation of something genuine with the intent to deceive or defraud; forged

2. simulated; sham

   counterfeit affection

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noun

1. an imitation designed to deceive or defraud

2. archaic an impostor; cheat

verb

1. (tr) to make a fraudulent imitation of

2. (intr) to make counterfeits

3. to feign; simulate

4. (tr) to imitate; copy

Related Words

See false.

Other Word Forms

• counterfeiter noun
• counterfeitly adverb
• counterfeitness noun
• noncounterfeit adjective
• uncounterfeited adjective

Etymology

Origin of counterfeit

First recorded in 1250–1300; (adjective) Middle English countrefet “false, forged,” from Anglo-French cuntrefet, Old French contrefait, contrefet, past participle of contrefaire, contrefere “to copy, imitate,” equivalent to conter- counter- + fere “to make, do,” ultimately from Latin facere ( fact ); (verb) Middle English countrefeten, verbal derivative of countrefet

Explanation

A counterfeit is a fake or a forgery. If you painted an uncanny copy of the "Mona Lisa" and tried to pass it off as the original, you'd have a counterfeit on your hands. An exact imitation of anything — a work of art, a ten dollar bill — is a counterfeit, and the act of creating the fake copy is the verb to counterfeit. You can also describe the forgery using the adjective form of counterfeit: a counterfeit Rolex watch. In Old French, the word contre, "counter or against", together with the word faire, "to make," joined together to mean "to make in imitation," which led to our counterfeit.

Example Sentences

Major online platforms say they are "working hard to protect customers" by removing unsafe and counterfeit goods from sale.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

In addition to 78 months in prison, Shah was ordered to forfeit $6,500,000, 30 luxury items and 78 counterfeit luxury items, according to the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Images of wildlife would be difficult to counterfeit, while also allowing for a celebration of nature across the country, the Bank said.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

"The biggest problem with Pakistani medicine was that we used to receive counterfeit and fake medicines," ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman told AFP.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

“He was caught with counterfeit tickets,” said one of the officers.

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar

Related Words

• bogus
• copied
• false
• fictitious
• forged
• fraudulent
• phony
• spurious